Butler Tabbed As Horizon League Preseason Favorite

Oct 09, 2007

With three starters back from last year's record-setting team,
Butler has been tabbed as the near-unanimous favorite to win the
2007-08 Horizon League men's basketball championship, according to
the League's preseason poll of coaches, media and sports
information directors released Tuesday, Oct. 9.

The Bulldogs captured 42 of a possible 46 first place votes in
the poll and racked up 456 of a possible 460 points. Four of the 46
voters tabbed the Bulldogs second in the league. Defending league
champion Wright State was picked second (354 points), while Green
Bay received two first place votes and was tabbed third (333).

UW-Milwaukee (325) was slated fourth in the poll, followed by
Loyola (264). The Ramblers, who received the remaining two first
place votes, had the unique distinction of being picked for all 10
positions in the League standings! Newcomer Valparaiso (227) was
chosen sixth, followed by Detroit (201), UIC (171), Cleveland State
(118) and Youngstown State (81).

First-year Butler head coach Brad Stevens was
honored by the respect his team received in the league poll, but he
kept the result in perspective.

"It's a tribute to the accomplishments of last year's team, but,
obviously, it has no bearing on what happens this year. We'll get
to work on Friday (Oct. 12) with a goal to again compete for a
championship," said the new Butler coach.

Butler returns starters A. J. Graves, Mike Green and Julian Betko
from last year's club, which posted a 29-7 record and advanced to
the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship.
The Bulldogs, who were picked sixth in last year's Horizon League
preseason poll, won the NIT Season Tip-Off at Madison Square Garden
in New York, were ranked in the "Top 25" of the A.P. and ESPN/USA
Today national polls for a school and league record 16 consecutive
weeks and became the first team in League history to crack the "Top
10" of the national rankings! Butler's 29 wins were a school and
Horizon League record.

Graves, who led the Bulldogs in scoring (16.9 ppg) was a first
team All-Horizon League pick in 2006-07, while Green, Butler's
leader in rebounds and assists, was a second team choice. Betko
started all 36 games for the Bulldogs and finished fifth in
scoring.

Stevens also will look to six newcomers this season, including
two who were with the team last year. Guard Grant
Leiendecker sat out last season as a medical redshirt, while
forward Avery
Jukes transferred to Butler from Alabama at mid-season.
Sophomore Alex
Anglin earned a spot on Butler's roster as a walk-on, and the
Bulldogs have added three freshmen, forward Matt Howard and
guards Zach
Hahn and Shawn Vanzant.

The Bulldogs will begin preseason practice on Friday, Oct. 12.
Butler will play St. Joseph's (Ind.) in an exhibition game on Nov.
1 and host Marian in a second exhibition contest on Nov. 3. The
Bulldogs' regular season begins on Nov. 9 at Ball State.

BULLDOG BITS: Butler guards A. J. Graves and Mike Green both
were named to the Collegehoops.net Preseason Mid-Major All-America
Team. Graves was one of five players selected first team preseason
All-America, while Green earned honorable mention.